Cupcake Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
2. To a large bowl, add and whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
3. Using the paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream your unsalted room temperature butter, vanilla extract, oil, and sugar together on medium speed for 4 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and beat again for 1 minute.
4. Add half of your bowl of dry ingredients and half of your buttermilk to your mixing bowl. Mix on low for about 45 seconds before repeating step to incorporate all buttermilk and flour.
5. Pour and evenly spread the batter into your prepared cupcake liners (about 50 grams in each cavity). Bake for 14-16 minutes or until cupcakes appear buttery and dense but bounce back at the touch of your finger.
6. Let cupcakes cool in pan about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Blueberry Compote

1. Add all blueberry compote ingredients together to a covered pot over medium-high heat. Let blueberries cook down for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, and once they’ve softened, place them in a heatproof container in the refrigerator to cool and thicken.

Basil Buttercream (See notes*)

1. To a food processor, add your rinsed and patted dry fresh basil, as well as your granulated sugar. Pulse until ingredients are mixed and then add cornstarch, pulse until you have the texture of powdered sugar. Now you have basil-flavored powdered sugar!
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the unsalted butter, basil-infused powdered sugar, salt, heavy cream or milk, and vanilla extract on low for about 30 seconds before increasing speed to medium high for 5 minutes.
3. Test taste and add a drop or two of lemon juice to cut sweetness if desired.
4. Set aside frosting in bowl until ready to use for topping cupcakes. You’ll then add it to a piping bag fitted with a tip of your choice or use a spoon or spatula to spread it onto your baked goods.

Cupcake Assembly

1. Use the wider end of a large piping tip (like the size of 1M, 2D, etc), and make a hole in the center of your cupcakes that goes about ¾ of the way down into it.
2. Scoop 2-3 teaspoons of filling into the hole of each cupcake. Firmly pack it down for more fruity flavor!
3. Cover each small hole in the middle of the cupcake by using a pastry bag and piping basil frosting directly onto the top of the cupcakes.